The MoveOn.org Primary

By None:

Hang around me long enough and you'll hear me argue that the Internet hasn't yet had that defining moment that changes politics forever. That may change on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, the 1.4 million members of MoveOn.org will be invited to vote in a presidential 'primary' that will determine if MoveOn endorses a presidential candidate. The MoveOn endorsement could be huge. In 2002, the website generated over $4 million for congressional candidates.

In the Washington Post, one political strategist pointed out, "If [Howard] Dean has their support and wins Iowa, what people don't realize is that MoveOn could get him $30 million in the next two days." (Read the Post article.)

And that's just it. The Internet can allow a candidate to rapidly take advantage of a surprise bump. John McCain raised $1 million online in the week after the New Hampsire primary. In 2004, expect to see another candidate make an even bigger leap. As GWU's Michael Cornfield points out, "Where the Internet is going to come in handy is not in Iowa or New Hampshire, where you have to be in people's living rooms to get their vote, but immediately thereafter." (Read the Christian Science Monitor article.)